Deck 4: Social Structure

Question 1

Positions in social systems that individuals can occupy are social

A)roles.
B)structures.
C)expectations.
D)statuses.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Social structures change through

A)an individual's action.
B)the cumulative actions of many individuals.
C)referendums and political activity only.
D)slow evolution only.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following would be an example of a social status?

A)the economy of a given country
B)one school within a larger school system
C)parents' need to care for their children
D)a freshman student

Answer 3

D

Question 4

An increase in the number of which of the following would indicate that the role of women in our society has evolved?

A)grocery stores
B)beauty salons
C)childcare centers
D)public parks

Question 5

Which of following is an example of a student exhibiting action?

A)A student follows the teacher's instructions.
B)A student helps a teacher pass out papers.
C)A student fails a test because he did not understand the material.
D)A student calls a teacher by her first name and refuses to use the title of "Ms."

Question 6

Which of the following illustrates how gender is structured in our society?

A)Men and women have different reproductive functions.
B)Men and women have different life expectancies.
C)Men and women are encouraged to assume different statuses and roles within the family.
D)Because of biological differences,men and women have different cancer risks.

Question 7

Why would workers fighting a plant closing be an example of action?

A)The workers would be picketing and that is an activity.
B)Workers are acting outside of their structural positions as employees by fighting their superiors.
C)Workers' desire for jobs is evidence that they are active in the economy.
D)Action simply means that the workers want to be productive.

Question 8

Which of the following would be an example of a role?

A)a member of the royal family
B)an airline pilot
C)the expectation that parents should take care of their children
D)the economy

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT true about social structures?

A)Social structures are persistent routines within society,but they do evolve.
B)Friendship groups as well as the economy are both examples of social structures.
C)Social structures are static across cultures.
D)Social structures and their routines aid in social stability.

Question 10

How are a police officer and a soldier similar?

A)Both are social statuses.
B)Both are roles,jobs,and social statuses.
C)Both are roles.
D)Both are only jobs,not social statuses.

Question 11

How have gender expectations evolved over the last few decades?

A)Women are more likely to work outside the home today.
B)Men play a less active role in children's lives today.
C)Men are more likely to be the sole breadwinner of a family.
D)Women are less likely than men to be involved in their children's lives.

Question 12

What does it mean to say that social structures are enduring?

A)People like social structures.
B)Social structures are persistent patterns of behavior.
C)It is difficult to knock down a social structure;they are quite sturdy.
D)Social structures tend to disappear as quickly as they are inventeD.

Question 13

Which best describes a social structure?

A)recurring patterns of behavior
B)the scaffolding that supports a building
C)a strict hierarchy of power
D)a system of social stratification

Question 14

How does a social institution relate to the concept of social structure?

A)A hospital is a social institution,whereas the interaction between two people is a social structure.
B)Social institutions are established patterns of behavior,whereas social structures are about random behaviors.
C)Social institutions are a type of social structure that governs major areas of social life.
D)Social structures are overarching social institutions.

Question 15

Why are gender expectations an example of social structure?

A)Gender expectations guide how men and women behave.
B)Gender expectations are rigid rules that mandate behavior.
C)Structures are about informal patterns,and gender only influences us in our social lives.
D)There is a strict power differential between men and women.

Question 16

What best describes social roles?

A)They rigidly dictate social behavior.
B)They give us guidelines about how to act in our social worlds.
C)They limit individuals' creativity.
D)They give us the freedom to explore different personas.

Question 17

Why did some describe the social structure of New Orleans right after Hurricane Katrina as "collapsing"?

A)Many buildings and homes were destroyed by the storm.
B)Daily routines and patterns of behavior broke down in the days following Katrina.
C)Many longtime residents refused to return.
D)Social gathering places like cafes were destroyed by the storm.

Question 18

What are social roles?

A)the parts that actors play
B)the positions that individuals occupy in the social structure
C)the social expectations that go along with a given social status
D)all of the dos and don'ts of social life

Question 19

How do social statuses and roles compare to one another?

A)Social statuses are the positions individuals hold in society;social roles are the expectations that go along with those positions.
B)Social roles are the positions individuals hold in society;social statuses are the expectations that go along with those positions.
C)They are basically the same thing;both refer to the expectations we hold of people within society.
D)They are basically the same thing;both refer to the positions individuals hold within society.

Question 20

How are action and social structure related?

A)Action is when individuals live within the mandates of social structure.
B)Action is when individuals act in ways that are not expected or even conflict with their structural position.
C)Action is when someone does what is expected of them given their structural position.
D)Action only occurs when an individual in a powerful position exhibits their power.

Question 21

Conversational analysis examines what level of our social world?

A)micro
B)meso
C)macro
D)All these answers are correct.

Question 22

How can both an organization and a conversation be social structures?

A)Both rely on routines and recurring patterns of behavior to function smoothly.
B)Each has hard and fast rules that govern how they unfold.
C)Each is very informal and relies on the creativity of the participants to function smoothly.
D)Both always rely on formalized written rules.

Question 23

Which of the following is an example of a meso-level structure?

A)an organization such as a business
B)two people talking to one another
C)the economy of a given country
D)the American political system

Question 24

What level of society is a sociologist studying if he is examining the structure and routines of an organization like a school or business?

A)micro
B)macro
C)meso
D)societal

Question 25

How do daily routines relate to the idea of social structure?

A)Daily routines are how we escape the monotony of social structure.
B)Daily routines illustrate how patterned and predictable our social world can be.
C)Daily routines are the way that individuals display their creativity and ingenuity.
D)Social structures deal more with important interactions among individuals than daily routines.

Question 26

In a conversational analysis,what would a sociologist NOT be interested in studying?

A)how two people go back and forth in their conversation
B)the level of intimacy used between the two participants
C)how people switch interactive styles depending on whom they are speaking to
D)who is ultimately right in their opinion that they are arguing

Question 27

The goal of a breaching experiment is to

A)change social norms by breaking well-known social rules.
B)adhere to social rules in order to better understand social change.
C)adhere to formal rules in order to test informal boundaries.
D)break social rules in order to better understand social routines.

Question 28

Which of the following would be an example of information loss at a restaurant?

A)The chef realizes that the restaurant is out of the night's special but has no way to let the wait staff know before they take customers' orders.
B)A waiter is fired for refusing to abide by the dress code.
C)The manager and the hostess argue about what the décor should look like.
D)A waitress leaves to work at another restaurant because she heard the management is nicer.

Question 29

Which of the following would NOT be a convention regarding how students are expected to behave during a high school class?

A)raising their hand before speaking during class
B)using "Ms." or "Mr." to address their teachers
C)texting friends during class about weekend plans
D)waiting for the bell to ring before leaving class

Question 30

Ethnomethodology examines how people

A)approach racist stereotypes.
B)seek out professional guidance.
C)engage in collective action.
D)make sense of their social worlds.

Question 31

In order to apply conversational analysis to the study of instant messaging,a sociologist would

A)look at instant messaging as a form of cultural change.
B)look at the patterns in how instant messaging conversations unfold.
C)look for ways in which technological change has impacted our attention spans.
D)use it as an opportunity to write an editorial on how youth today are distracteD.

Question 32

Ethnomethodologists are interested in how individuals collectively create

A)common values.
B)social structure.
C)competition.
D)power struggles.

Question 33

In which of the following scenarios would a sociologist conducting a breaching experiment be most likely to participate?

A)teaching a class by following the same routines and course schedule
B)observing children playing dodge ball during recess and noting how they learn the rules
C)going to a fast-food restaurant and asking the counter person what he would like to eat
D)spending time in a different culture and examining what cultural differences exist

Question 34

In her look at space shuttle tragedies,sociologist Diane Vaughan found that

A)information loss at NASA may have contributed to the space shuttle disasters.
B)everyone at NASA had open lines of communication with all others at NASA.
C)no one was aware of the potential risks of the space shuttle missions she studied.
D)all NASA employees and departments were aware of the potential risks.

Question 35

Which of the following would be an example of an informal element of an organizational structure like a business?

A)rules outlining employee conduct in the company handbook
B)federal laws that impact how the business can function
C)traditions that influence how those within the organization address one another
D)All of these are formalized elements of a business organization.

Question 36

Which of the following accurately describes how social interactions occur within a society?

A)Over time,patterns form in the ways in which people interact with one another.
B)Social interaction rarely follows set patterns,because individuals are so different.
C)Routine social interactions only occur when they are highly formalized through written rules and laws.
D)Individuals must be constantly reminded how to interact with others;interactions never become routine.

Question 37

Sociologists may conduct conversational analysis to understand

A)the evolution of accents and word usage.
B)the diction of both speakers.
C)how politicians construct campaign speeches.
D)the underlying structure of conversations.

Question 38

If you were interested in solidifying the social structure of a small business,which of the following would you be most likely to do?

A)Toss out the employee manuals and allow employees to do what was best for them.
B)Create many rules,procedures,and routines that mandate how employees can interact with one another.
C)Develop an employee of the month award to recognize the best innovative idea an employee creates.
D)Fire all of the employees and only rehire those who would be interested in working in a laid-back work environment.

Question 39

How does social structure exist at the meso level?

A)Organizations are made up of individuals who have their own daily routines.
B)Organizations have organizational structure charts so everyone knows who is in power.
C)Organizations have daily routines and patterns that shape their daily activities.
D)Organizations are housed in buildings,which have physical structures to them.

Question 40

How do structures enable behavior?

A)Structures give us guidelines about how to act.
B)Structures punish us when we act improperly.
C)Structures actually have nothing to do with behavior.
D)Structures are the exact opposite of how we should behave.

Question 41

Which of the following is an example of a macro-level structure?

A)an informal group of peers
B)a principal talking to one of her students
C)the American educational system
D)a large university

Question 42

How do affective and traditional forms of action compare to one another?

A)Affective action is motivated by efficiency,whereas traditional action is motivated by emotion.
B)Affective action is motivated by emotion,whereas traditional action is motivated by custom.
C)Affective action is motivated by custom,whereas traditional action is motivated by emotion.
D)Affective action is motivated by emotion,whereas traditional action is motivated by rationality.

Question 43

Which of the following is NOT a social function of work?

A)Jobs allow individuals to earn money.
B)Jobs reinforce societal values like self-discipline.
C)Jobs encourage people to get along with others.
D)Jobs give people a sense of responsibility.

Question 44

Why would functionalists care about the functions that the education system fulfills in society?

A)A society's school system represents its religious morals.
B)The functions of schools aid in social stability.
C)Schools are where students learn about sociology and functionalism.
D)Schools are unique because their function within societies never changes.

Question 45

What do functionalists assume about societal institutions?

A)Institutions within society are disconnected from one another.
B)Institutions do not do anything for the greater good of society.
C)The competition among institutions is what holds society together.
D)As part of society,institutions all contribute to the greater functioning of society.

Question 46

In which of the followings aspects of group life would Talcott Parsons be most interested?

A)the group's dietary habits
B)how a group is held together through social integration
C)the buying habits of a particular group
D)the history of a group

Question 47

The routines that shape the daily activity of an organization constitute its

A)structure.
B)by-laws.
C)goals.
D)power.

Question 48

What would Max Weber think about McDonaldization?

A)He would be surprised,since he thought society would become increasingly more emotional and spiritual.
B)He would think that increased efficiency in all aspects of life would lead to moral downfall.
C)It would probably not surprise him,since he thought the complexities of modern life would increasingly lead to an increase in rationality and efficiency.
D)He would feel that McDonaldization would impede modern life because McDonald's restaurants are not efficiently manageD.

Question 49

According to functionalists,what do the functions of institutions accomplish?

A)The functions help to maintain social stability.
B)The functions are one way institutions compete with one another.
C)The functions are the hidden agendas that institutions have.
D)The functions are the public goals that institutions have.

Question 50

Which of the following would illustrate rational action?

A)a young woman jumping up and down on the soccer field after scoring the winning goal
B)a family going to church every holiday season as part of their family tradition
C)a student deciding whether or not to attend college by analyzing the related costs and benefits
D)a student starting to cry after finding out he flunked an exam

Question 51

The idea that society is held together through individuals participating in daily routines and social structures represents which sociological concept?

A)power
B)social organization
C)equilibrium
D)social integration

Question 52

Social integration is the idea that

A)only new members of a society need to learn societal rules.
B)society is held together through shared values and social structures.
C)groups within society are always in conflict.
D)individuals engage in collective action to counter prevailing norms.

Question 53

Which of the following does NOT represent how globalization has impacted the world of work?

A)Manufacturing in the United States is declining.
B)High-paying jobs have been exported to countries where labor costs are lower.
C)Jobs in the United States now require most workers to travel globally and know multiple languages.
D)Workers in the United States are less likely to find stable,long-term,well-paying employment.

Question 54

Which of the following is NOT an assumption of the functionalist perspective?

A)Structures within society meet the needs of society.
B)Change in one part of society necessitates change in another part.
C)Society is composed of interdependent social institutions.
D)Society is held together by the domination of the poor by the rich.

Question 55

Which of the following best illustrates the idea of a social contract?

A)An employer makes employees sign very detailed legal agreements regarding the length of their employment.
B)An employee takes an employer to court because the employer terminated his employment without notice,which was a clear violation of their contract.
C)There is an understanding between employers and employees that if an employee does his or her job well,the employee will continue to have a job at the company.
D)An employer hires all employees through a temporary work agency so there are no direct,formal contracts with the people working for her.

Question 56

According to functionalists,how are institutions related to the larger society?

A)Institutions stand outside conventional society.
B)Institutions contribute to society by meeting certain societal functions.
C)Institutions battle against society for dominance.
D)Institutions wither away as society becomes stronger.

Question 57

The idea that a man calculates whether or not getting married would beneficial in terms of his finances illustrates which dimension of McDonaldization?

A)efficiency
B)calculability
C)predictability
D)control

Question 58

Which of the following would NOT illustrate social integration?

A)A social group falls apart because of disagreement over goals.
B)Community members feel a bond with others because of shared values.
C)The daily routines of a group facilitate group members getting along.
D)By sharing the same set of values and routines,a group becomes cohesive.

Question 59

The idea that if part of society changes,other parts will adjust accordingly illustrates what theory?

A)social integration
B)social structure
C)equilibrium
D)social conflict

Question 60

How would a sociologist define "action"?

A)going along with social norms despite desires
B)choosing to become a member of an institution
C)operating outside of social constraints
D)acting in accordance with expected social routines

Question 61

The Carson & Co.trading firm is a very busy place.At 9 a.m.every day,trading begins when the national stock market opens.There are also strict rules,both governmental laws and firm rules,about how and when trading of stock can take place.On Fridays,the routine is a bit different and all employees eat lunch together in the break room along with the managers,a tradition started by the founder of the company years ago.Which of the following is an example of the informal structure of the firm?

A)governmental laws regarding trading
B)9 a.m.start time
C)the employee handbook
D)everyone eating lunch together on Fridays

Question 62

How does cell phone usage in the United States compare to usage in Africa?

A)There are more landlines in Africa because of limited resources.
B)There are more cell phones in the United States because of higher incomes.
C)In Africa there are few landlines;most people use cell phones.
D)Cell phone usage is growing faster in the United States.

Question 63

Which of the following changes has occurred within the production of news?

A)Lines between users and producers have become clearer.
B)The traditional daily news cycle has shrunk.
C)More news is produced outside traditional news.
D)People are less interested in news today.

Question 64

A sociologist observes two students discussing their lessons and homework.The sociologist notes how the students interact and the conventions they draw on to have a smooth,back-and-forth exchange in their conversation.What type of analysis is the sociologist conducting?

A)meso
B)structural
C)conversational
D)ethnomethodological

Question 65

A "produser" is someone who

A)produces news mediA.
B)consumes news media.
C)both produces and uses news media.
D)pays for premium cable news networks.

Question 66

How have cell phones changed the nature of social interaction?

A)They have blurred class lines.
B)They have allowed people's interactions to be less spatially bound.
C)They have caused interactions to be more superficial.
D)They have limited social interaction because cell phone minutes are expensive.

Question 67

What is the "news net"?

A)the idea that the Internet is saturated with news websites
B)the routines of news outlets that shape where they look for news stories
C)the integration of print,television,and Internet news services
D)the network of cable news stations

Question 68

A college student is studying to become a TV journalist and spends a good deal of her day watching television news broadcasts.She also goes everywhere on campus with her digital recorder to capture any newsworthy events she sees,such as a protest on campus.When she records these events,she immediately uploads them to public campus websites so others can see what is going on campus.Which status best identifies the student and her relationship to the media?

A)consumer
B)producer
C)produser
D)audience

Question 69

Maria decides she will become a firefighter despite the fact that no woman in her town has ever been a firefighter.She encounters resistance from family,friends,and even the local fire chief when she tells them of her career plans.However,she takes the admissions test and is accepted into the firefighter training program.By going against what is expected,Maria's behavior illustrates which sociological concept?

A)convention
B)action
C)compliance
D)status

Question 70

Originally,Juan went to medical school to become a surgeon.After doing rotations in various departments during his residency,Juan decided that he would rather specialize in pediatrics because he really enjoys working with children.Which of the following is an example of ascribed status in Juan's life?

A)physician
B)male
C)surgeon
D)pediatrician

Question 71

Which of the following does NOT represent a change in the structure of news production?

A)Increasingly,the news cycle is nonstop.
B)Traditional news outlets compete with citizen journalism.
C)Since news is everywhere today there is less pressure to "break" a story.
D)Budget constraints have led to fewer reporters doing more work.

Question 72

Why would sociologists be interested in McDonaldization?

A)It illustrates the "downfall" of the nuclear family.
B)It illustrates the return to old-fashioned ideals and values.
C)It shows how individual workers can fight against corporate powers.
D)It shows how individual behavior is shaped by changes in broader structural patterns.

Question 73

An employee has some important information about a company's web security.The employee has identified some security breaches that would allow a hacker to access customers' personal information.However,the employee's manager decided the issue was not important and the employee has no way of contacting the president of the company.Two weeks later,the website is hacked.The lack of communication between employee and president illustrates which concept?

A)social integration
B)information loss
C)structure
D)conversational analysis

Question 74

How does McDonaldization illustrate structural change?

A)McDonald's is a business organization that has changed its menus to suit the times.
B)People are constantly moving in and out of the top positions within the corporation.
C)McDonaldization has altered how individuals interact with one another.
D)McDonald's has led change in the types of food and nutrition Americans consume.

Question 75

A student enters his English class and greets his teacher by saying,"Good morning,Mrs.Smith" and the teacher returns the greeting by saying,"Good morning to you,Erik." This type of exchange happens over and over again as students file into the classroom.This exchange represents which type of practice?

A)macro-level interaction
B)convention
C)norm violation
D)breaching experiment

Question 76

A sociologist decides to study how students go about their daily routines and how they learn what they are supposed to do.For example,how do students know to go to class when the bell rings? and why do students call teachers by their last names? A sociologist from which of the following backgrounds would be interested in this study?

A)a functionalist
B)an ethnomethodologist
C)a conversational analyst
D)a gender scholar

Question 77

Which of the following would illustrate cell phone users displaying action?

A)They strictly adhere to the norms of phone etiquette.
B)They use their cell phones in a way that the cellular phone company suggests.
C)They follow their employer's policies,such as no cell phone calls while at work.
D)They develop new uses for cell phones,like tracking crops or conveying health-related information.

Question 78

Edgar is an accountant who works from home so he can care for his infant daughter.His employer expects him to call the office every morning for the department briefing,and then Edgar spends the rest of his day doing accounting,contacting clients via email,and filing paperwork electronically.Which of the following is a role for Edgar?

A)being a dad
B)calling in for the morning briefing
C)being an employee
D)being an accountant

Question 79

The economy increasingly requires workers to have computer skills and know multiple languages because of increased technology in the workplace and the globalization of the economy.The education system,however,does not adapt but instead continues to prioritize the classics,does not integrate foreign language into its curriculum,and does not offer computer literacy courses.The education system is challenging what functional concept?

A)social structure
B)equilibrium
C)social integration
D)achieved status

Question 80

A young boy is born into an Indian-American family in an urban area and his parents save so that he can attend a top college.At the end of college,the young man decides to pursue his master's in business administration and also takes a job as a marketing consultant.Which of the following would be the best an example of an achieved status?

A)marketing consultant
B)Indian-American
C)son
D)male